Clutch-operating means.



T. S. MILLER.

CLUTCH OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11. 1911.

1,121, 12. Patented D8G..15,1914.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 T. S. MILLER.

CLUTCH OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION 111131) DEC 11. 1911.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETSHSHEET 2.

1& Ma 1% mm m THOMAS SPENCER EIL'LER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CLUTCH-OPERATING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed December 11, .1911. Serial No. 664,936.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, THOMAS SPnNonR MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invent-ed certain new and useful I-mprov ments in Clutch-Operating Means, of which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates broadly and geneinlly to new and useful improvements in clutches, and more particularly to means for operating the parts of friction clutches to place them in and out of driving engagement.

The invention particularly contemplates, although it is not necessarily limited to, a clutch-operating means for use in connection with rope-winding drums wherein a drum and driving element are moved relative to each other to connect and disconnect the same to place them in and out of driving connection employing the same means for connecting as for disconnecting.

The invention consists in the novel construction of parts and their aggrou'pment in operative combination to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan View partly in section of a rope drum structure exemplifying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a cam member employed in connection with my invention; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view in 'elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment of my invention; and Fig. 5 is a developed view of the cam formation shown in Figs. 2 and 3 showing the cams in position to set the friction; Fig. 6 is a developed view of another form of cam.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designates a bed or foundation frame for a winding drum upon one end of which is mounted an electric motor 2 which furnishes the driving power for the drum. The armature shaft of this inotor is provided with a pinion 3 meshing with a gear 4 mounted on a power shaft 5 journalcd in bearings 6, 6, on the side members of the bed. Keyed to the power shaft 5 is a pinion 7 which meshes with a driving element, hereinafter described, to furmsh power'to the drum. Arranged in bear-v in'gs 8, 8, on the side frame, and running parallel to the power shaft 5, is a drum shaft 9 having a cylindrical intermediate portion 10 and a squared portion 11, and an end extension having a cylindrical portion 12, and a reduced squared portion 13 from which extends a threaded stem 14. Keyed on one end of the cylindrical portion 10 of the drum shaft is a driving element 15 in the form of a gear which meshes with the pinion 7, heretofore described, by means of which power is transmitted from the motor to the drum shaft. On the cylindrical portion 10 of the drum shaft is a flanged drum 16 adapted to turn loosely on said cylindrical portion and provided, at the end adjacent the driving element 15, with a metallic friction clutch ring 17 adapted to coiiperate with a plurality of annularly arranged metallic friction clutch blocks 18 carried by the adjacent side face of the element 15.

19 designates a friction clutch member mounted on the squared portion 11 of the shaft 9 so as to turn with said shaft, and provided with a cylindrical hub 20 which has bearing in'the said bearing 8 so that the squared portion of the shaft and said hub 20 forms journal for the shaft. The clutch member 19 is movable longitudinally of the shaft 9 and is provided on its side face adjacent the end of the drum with annularly arranged metallic friction blocks 21 adapted to frictionally cooperate with friction face 22 carried by the adjacent end of the drum. The element 15 being fixed to the shaft against movement longitudinally thereof, and the drum and the friction element 19 being movable longitudinally of the shaft, a movement of said friction ele-' ment 19 into engagement with the drum so as to move the same toward the driving element 15, will serve to frictionally connect the drum and said elements 15 and 19 whereby the drum will turn with the shaft.

I will now describe the means for setting and unsetti-ng the clutch to connect the drum to the shaft: Rotatably mounted upon the cylindrical portion 12 of the shaft 9 is an operating member, preferably in the form of a brake wheel 23 having a cylindrical grooved periphery toreceive a brake band 24 by means of which the rotation of said member 23 may be retarded or stopped. On the face friction member 19 and drum, is an annular a cam element, preferably in the form of a ,ring 25 surrounding the shaft and provided with a plurality of inclined cam faces 26, 26, the high points of which inclined faces terminate at a fiat face 27 the low points of said inclined faces terminating at a flat face 28 which fiat faces lie in planes at right angles to the axis of rotation. As shown in Fig. 2, this cam ring includes three sets of said oppositely inclined cams 26 and intermediate faces 27 arranged at equal distances circumferentially of the cam ring, said sets being separated from each other by said faces 28 lying in a plane at right angles to the axis of rotation.

29 is a cam member or head surrounding;

and fitting the squared portion 13 of the shaft 9 so as to turn with the, shaft and having on its face toward the operating member 23 a cam formation which may be the counterpart of the cam element carried by said operating member, the cam formation of said head being adapted to cooperate with the cam faces on the operating member in a manner to be presently described. Mounted.

on the end of the shaft 9 and surrounding the squared portion thereof is a cylindrical box 31 having a closed outer end 32 formed with a central opening 33 through which the threaded portion 1 1 ofthe shaft 9 projects. The inner end of this box 31 is threaded to receive a flanged adjusting ring 34, the flange of which projects inwardly so as to engage over the face of the head 29. The head 29 is provided with a hub 29 against which and the head 32 of the case 31 abuts a coil spring 34- surrounding the squared portion of the shaft and exerting its force expansively against the said hub and said head 32. Also surrounding the shaft and within the casing 31' is a coil spring .35 which exerts its force expansively against the head 32 and the rear or outer face "of the head 29, the combined functions of the springs being to normally urge the head 29 along the shaft toward the-flanged member 34 threaded on the inner end of the casing 31. The cushion structure just described serves when set to maintain a predetermined thrust upon the cam faces on the head 29'and thering 25, and thus operates to provide a slipping'friction between the friction faces- 17, 18 and 21, 22, heretofore described, when the drum is driven. On the threaded end 14 of the shaft 9 are. adjusting nuts 36 which can be turned so as to move lengthwise of the shaft toincrease or decrease the force of the springs on said head 29. In assembling the parts the springs are first adjusted to have a determined tension by means of the annular flanged ring, heretofore described, which serves, when screwed onto the casing, to force the head 29 against the springs, and

thereby compress the latter between the rearend 32 of the casing and said head; the nuts '36 after the casing and springs are on the shaft are utilized to maintain the cam faces in contact and to make the necessary adjustments for the wear of the friction surfaces.

The operation of the form of the invention just described 'is as follows, it being premised that the friction head 19 is with drawn from the'drum so as. to permit the latter, to turn freely between the driving element 15 and said friction element. Under these conditions it will be understood that thc'driving shaft 5 drives the drum shaft 9 without turning'the drum, but the elements 15 and 19 turn with the shaft. If it is desired to couple the drum to the-driving element and the friction head 19, the brake is applied to the operating member 23 serving to retard or stopthe latter so that the head 29 will move faster than the operating member 23, causing the engaging inclined cam surfaces to move relative to eachother and thereby force the operating element 23, the friction element 19, and the drum 16 lengthwise of the shaft-toward the driving ele' ment 15 whereby frictionis applied to the drum at the driving element and the element 19. The brake is operated to hold the operating member 23 until there is sufficient relative movement between the cam members to cause the fiat faces which stand in planes at right angles'to the axis ofrotation to move into contact, whereupon the brake is operated to release; the operating member and' said member-and the drum .turn with the shaft as long-asv the fiat faces 27 are in engagement. When it is desired to relieve the friction on the drum to' permit the latter to turn free of the shaft, the brake is again applied to the operating member, which again causes relative movement between the cam members, thereby disengaging the flat faces 27 and permitting the projections of the cams to becomeseated in the recesses of each cam member respectively, whereby the friction member 19 is operated to relieve the friction on the'drum. When the. cams are moved relative to each other to apply the friction the head 29 is moved so as to additionally compress the springs 34 and 35, the

result being that the :drum and the mem-- bers 15 and 19 areayieldingly held together so that under excess load the drum may turn relative to saidmembers 15 and 19 and thereby relieve the latter of the load.

In Fig. l'haveshown another embodiment of the same invention in which 37 is the driving shaft mounted in bearings 38, said shaft having keyed thereto a driving element 39 pivoted with cone friction blocks 40 adapted to engage within a coned friction ring 11 carried by a. drum 4:2 turning loosely on the shaft. Surrounding the drum shaft at the opposite end from the driving element is a thrust collar 43 en gaged by a cross pin 44 arranged in a slot 45 in the shaft and'movable longitudinally of said shaft by-means of a thrust pin 46 arranged in the bore of the shaft. Extending through a slot 47 in the shaft and engaging the said thrust pin is across pin 48 against which force is exerted, as hereinafter set forth, to set the friction; that is, to connect the drum and thedriving element. This means consists of an annular element 49 having recessesengaging said cross pin 48 so as .to turn with the shaft, and provided on itsinner face with a cam ring 49* similar to that heretofore described; that is, comprising a plurality of sets of cams each consisting of converging inclined faces terminating in a plane face at right angles to the axis of rotation, said sets being separated by plane faces, as heretofore described. On the end of the shaft, and adapted to turn relative thereto, is an operating member 50, the inner face (if which is formed with a cam ring 51 similar to and adapted to cooperate with the cam ring 49, heretofore described, said operating member being in the form of a brake wheel having a grooved periphery 52' with which cooperates a brakeband On the outer endof the shaft, and in engagement with the operating member, are threaded adjusting nuts 54 by means of which the operating member is maintained in proper relation to the member 49 and the degree of thrust to be given when the operating member is turned relative. to said member 49 is determined. The operation of this form of the invention is substantially the same as that described for the form shown in Fig. 1, excepting that no provision'is made for the yielding or snring application of the thrust to produce the slipping friction.

Briefly stated, the operation of the structure shown in Fig. 4 is as follows: The shaft 37 is driven through the driving member 39 so that the cam member 49 turns there with, as does also the operating member, both when the drum is coupled with the friction, and when it is released therefrom.

\Vhen it is desired to apply the friction, the brake is operated to hold the operating member, which causes the relative move- I ment between the cam members thereon and on the.ring 49 to force the thrust mechanism toward the driving member and thereby couple the drum to said driving member. The connection being made, the brake is released and the operating member turns with the cam member 49 with the fiat faces 27 of the cams in engagement. To relieve the friction, the brake is applied, which serves to hold the operating member, and the continued rotation of the cam mem ber 4-9 causes the disengagement of the flat faces 27, and such a relative movement of free of the driving element.

The cam need not necessarily be of the formation shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5,

but may have some other form; for instance, such as shown in Fig. 6, in which there is but one cam projection on each element consisting preferably of a long gradual incline 55 terminating at its high point ina surface 56 at right angles to the axis of rotation, and an abrupt incline 57. This form is especially adapted for high speed machinery as the clutch will be set gradually, and unset quickly. However, I do not desire to be limited to a. cam for accomplishing the purpose of the invention as other means of connection might be used whereby the stopping of the operating member alternately operates to set and unset the friction.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In combination, a driving element and a driven element having friction faces to connect them, means for moving one of said elements toward the other to place said faces'in contact, said means comprising a cam rotatable with the movable element and having an inclined face and a flat face at right angles to the axis of rotation, a similar cam rotatable on the same axis as the first cam and engaging the first named cam, and means for retarding the rotation of said last-named cam.

2. In combination, a driving element and a driven element having friction faces to connect them, means for moving one of said elements toward the other to place said faces in contact, said means comprising a cam rotatable with the movable element and having an inclined face and a flat face at right angles to the axis of rotation, a similar cam rotatable on the same axis as the first cam, a rotary operating member for retarding the rotation of said last-named cams, and a cushion between said operating member and a fixed part to cushion said member when the said driving and driven elements are frictionally connected.

3. In combination, a driving element and a driven element having friction faces to connect them, means for moving one of said elements toward the other to place said faces in contact, said means comprising a cam rotatable with the movable element and having an inclined face and a flat face at right-angles to the axis of rotation, a member rotatable on the same axis as sa d cam and having a projecting part adapted to ride on said inclined face and come to rest on said flat face, and means for retarding rotation of said member.

4. In combination, a shaft, a driving element and a driven element on the shaft,

friction clutch means for connecting said elements operable upon inovementof one of said elements longitudinally of the shaft, an operating member on the shaft and adapted to rotate therewith, cooperating clutch set ting members between, and connected resp'ectively to, said operating. member andone of said elements to rotate therewith, respectively, one of saidclutch setting members being a cam having an inclined face and a flat face at right-angles to the axis of rotation, the other of said clutch setting members having a projecting part adapted clutch operating member on the shaft, and

adapted'torotate therewith, and cooperat- 'ing cam members between and connected respectively to said operating member and one of said elements, said cams having cooperating faces inclined in opposite directions, and a holding face between said inclined faces, and means for retarding the rotation of sai operating member. I

6. In combination, a shaft, a driving element and a driven element on the shaft, friction clutch means for connecting said elements operable'upon movement of one of said elements longitudinally of the shaft, a clutch operating member on the shaft, and adapted to rotate therewith, and, cooperating cam members between and connected respectively to said operating member and one of said elements, said camshaving cooperating faces inclined in oppositedirec- I tions, a holding face at right angles to the axis of rotation, and "means for retarding the rotation of said operating member.

I In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed ,my name-in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' THOMAS ISPENGEB MILLER.

, .Witnesses:

ERNST PULSFORD,

FRANK-%LINDBERG. 

